Bandits, beaches and Roman baths – Andalucía’s wild side

Away from the main cities, the region’s dusty plains and green mountains offer hiking, ancient ruins and no crowds, as the author of a new guide reveals

The golden sands south from Cádiz form part of the Costa de la Luz and run to the southernmost tip of continental Europe at Tarifa. This is one of the least-visited stretches of Andalucían coast, but are a meeting place of cultures and continents: Africa with Europe; the Atlantic with the Mediterranean. From Tarifa, the hazy blue silhouette of Jebel Musa mountain in Morocco is visible – 14km away over the strait of Gibralta. Visit in spring and autumn to see skies filled with griffon vultures, eagles and storks on migration paths to Africa.